Anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension and worried thoughts. Other signs include irritability, restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, tense muscles and trouble sleeping. Anxiety can also lead to physical changes and long term health issues, such as increased blood pressure and gastro- intestinal issues. Anxiety usually manifests itself as intrusive thoughts or concerns. You may notice yourself avoiding certain situations out of worry. You might also experience physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, or rapid heartbeat. Some people with anxiety have panic attacks. Do you notice yourself continually worrying about past or future events? Do you ruminate over past decisions you’ve made and consistently feel regret? Do you worry about what will happen if you don’t do something perfectly? These are all symptoms of anxiety.
Some level of anxiety is normal and can even be helpful in certain situations. It can help motivate you to get a project done, study for an exam, and work harder. However, it becomes a problem when your anxiety is holding you back from enjoying yourself, getting a good night’s rest, or concentrating. Through our work together, we will find a way for you to reach a healthy balance between motivation and being able to relax.
How will you help me relieve my anxiety?
The first step to alleviating symptoms of anxiety is understanding what happens for you when you feel anxious. We will break this down into three parts: body, mind, and emotions. Physically, where are you feeling tension, and where are you tightening your muscles? You might be feeling a more rapid heart beat, a change in temperature, or even shaking. What kinds of thoughts do you have when you are feeling anxious? You may be thinking, “I will never be able to complete x”, or “what important thing did I forget?”. Let’s identify what emotions you’re feeling, such as fear, anger, or sadness. We will then work together on different techniques to target your specific symptoms. This might include breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or fact-checking your worst-case scenario fears.
I’m extremely busy. How will I find the time to use these techniques?
We live in a world where expectations are high and time is limited. The techniques that we will employ are designed with this in mind. You may find that you are actually spending a significant amount of time worrying instead of “doing”. For example, if you spend hours worrying about a report you need to write only to have nothing but a blank page in front of you right before deadline, learning these techniques can result in better time management.
What if my anxiety goes away only to come back?
It might, and that’s ok! With all that we juggle with in life-work, friends, family, and other obligations, anxious feelings can creep up. Think of this as riding a bicycle. Each time you’re confronted with anxiety, you can get back on that familiar road of utilizing the calming and grounding techniques you’ve learned. The more you practice the tools that work for you, the more familiar you will get with how to prevent yourself from letting your anxiety escalate.
